Princess Anna
Tea
It's been a few weeks now and my parents have gone home. Back to the Red River, to the Kingdom of bustling and emerging business and trade. Things are changing and the monarchs are needed.
Their stay was meant to be only a few days, but we always found ourselves in conversation, questioning life, questioning our own thoughts and frailties. Even my uncles stayed for two days to enjoy their time with Adam. It is irresistible to ask Adam everything, although he doesn't know everything, as I am learning slowly. However, he knows a substantial amount of knowledge.
Even his parents just listen when he speaks. They rest content as he explains the stories of the past. The stories for all of humanity to learn from.
My parents can't resist asking either. Like parents like daughter I suppose. He's quite enchanting. His charm has swept us up. And the way his silver eyes glint when he tells a story of the Prophet peace be upon him. The way his heart seems to beat faster when he tells us about the Companions of the Prophet protecting what they believed in. The way he is with everyone just calls to us, just makes us feel like there is more.
There is more to this world and life.
So, in the times we take to read I take the chance to rest beside him in the sitting room. Like today, we are resting together.
Although my abdomen is turning fiercely as the full moon marks my cycle. I have already retired my book about jinns and devils at the first page. I squint and clutch my stomach. As I turn my head hits Adam's shoulder. He pulls his shoulder away and puts his book down. He pulls his arms around me as I curl into myself.
"Anna, what's happening?"
Does he know of women's cycles and if not, should I even begin to say? The thought of telling him has my mind alarmed but my body turns in on itself and I realize I am already breathing hard. With my head against his chest I feel his heart and the warmth brings relief.
I turn my head to look into his eyes.
"I'm on my monthly cycle."
Adam's scrunches his eye brows and clenches his jaw and runs from the room.
My heart drops with me into the seat.
No.
He must have misunderstood, surely Adam, not him, he would never run from me. I brush my tears as the cramps calm themselves slightly and I rest my back against the warm spot he left beside me.
Perhaps he was unsure how to....but his face! How could he make such a face?
I rub my eyes as the tears stream down. I push my open hair to wave along the side of the seat.
I take a deep breath.
I pump deep breaths into my body. I need the hyperventilating to stop.
He ran from me.
I close my eyes and let me head rest against the wooden frame of the seat and I stare at the large bookcase and the tapestry of a village and a mountain beside it and how the mountain towers beside the village like the bookcase towers over me and how the mountain stays pegged in the earth with roots to keep the earth steady and the bookcase can simply be moved around with enough strength and the person in the hall must be running.
Adam streams into the room and places a cup of tea and plate of warm bread on the table. The steam swirls into the air. He lifts me up and sits beside me throwing a blanket over my body.
He holds the tea to my lips and I stare at his worried face. I take a sip.
He places the bread on my lips and I take a bite from the corner.
He turns the bread to my corner and bites it from there. He smiles as if he is thinking of something deeper than I realize.
I bite the bread again, but from another corner so he doesn't have to feel uncomfortable to share with me, especially in this state.
He turns the piece and bites it from where I bit it. In this way we finish the bread.
I pull my arms around his waist. The empty teacup and plate rest at our side and he sweeps them aside to rest his feet up and hold his arms around me.
"Is your stomach still paining?"
I search my body in my mind's eye for any bit of pain and I feel it fading. I stretch and feel a cramp. Almost grateful, I curl into myself and he hugs me tight.
"May Allah, the One who Heals and Provides give you easy childbirth."
My face turns red.
"W-what?"
I cover my face with the blanket.
"It's....it's only a prayer my aunts and mother used to say to each other when they would be on their monthly cycle."
I peak a look at him and his face has turned red. I giggle lightly. He runs a hand through his hair. I can see his eyes searching for understanding in mine.
"Ameen."
That's what you say after a prayer you want to come true. I reach his shoulder and give him a kiss.
Their stay was meant to be only a few days, but we always found ourselves in conversation, questioning life, questioning our own thoughts and frailties. Even my uncles stayed for two days to enjoy their time with Adam. It is irresistible to ask Adam everything, although he doesn't know everything, as I am learning slowly. However, he knows a substantial amount of knowledge.
Even his parents just listen when he speaks. They rest content as he explains the stories of the past. The stories for all of humanity to learn from.
My parents can't resist asking either. Like parents like daughter I suppose. He's quite enchanting. His charm has swept us up. And the way his silver eyes glint when he tells a story of the Prophet peace be upon him. The way his heart seems to beat faster when he tells us about the Companions of the Prophet protecting what they believed in. The way he is with everyone just calls to us, just makes us feel like there is more.
There is more to this world and life.
So, in the times we take to read I take the chance to rest beside him in the sitting room. Like today, we are resting together.
Although my abdomen is turning fiercely as the full moon marks my cycle. I have already retired my book about jinns and devils at the first page. I squint and clutch my stomach. As I turn my head hits Adam's shoulder. He pulls his shoulder away and puts his book down. He pulls his arms around me as I curl into myself.
"Anna, what's happening?"
Does he know of women's cycles and if not, should I even begin to say? The thought of telling him has my mind alarmed but my body turns in on itself and I realize I am already breathing hard. With my head against his chest I feel his heart and the warmth brings relief.
I turn my head to look into his eyes.
"I'm on my monthly cycle."
Adam's scrunches his eye brows and clenches his jaw and runs from the room.
My heart drops with me into the seat.
No.
He must have misunderstood, surely Adam, not him, he would never run from me. I brush my tears as the cramps calm themselves slightly and I rest my back against the warm spot he left beside me.
Perhaps he was unsure how to....but his face! How could he make such a face?
I rub my eyes as the tears stream down. I push my open hair to wave along the side of the seat.
I take a deep breath.
I pump deep breaths into my body. I need the hyperventilating to stop.
He ran from me.
I close my eyes and let me head rest against the wooden frame of the seat and I stare at the large bookcase and the tapestry of a village and a mountain beside it and how the mountain towers beside the village like the bookcase towers over me and how the mountain stays pegged in the earth with roots to keep the earth steady and the bookcase can simply be moved around with enough strength and the person in the hall must be running.
Adam streams into the room and places a cup of tea and plate of warm bread on the table. The steam swirls into the air. He lifts me up and sits beside me throwing a blanket over my body.
He holds the tea to my lips and I stare at his worried face. I take a sip.
He places the bread on my lips and I take a bite from the corner.
He turns the bread to my corner and bites it from there. He smiles as if he is thinking of something deeper than I realize.
I bite the bread again, but from another corner so he doesn't have to feel uncomfortable to share with me, especially in this state.
He turns the piece and bites it from where I bit it. In this way we finish the bread.
I pull my arms around his waist. The empty teacup and plate rest at our side and he sweeps them aside to rest his feet up and hold his arms around me.
"Is your stomach still paining?"
I search my body in my mind's eye for any bit of pain and I feel it fading. I stretch and feel a cramp. Almost grateful, I curl into myself and he hugs me tight.
"May Allah, the One who Heals and Provides give you easy childbirth."
My face turns red.
"W-what?"
I cover my face with the blanket.
"It's....it's only a prayer my aunts and mother used to say to each other when they would be on their monthly cycle."
I peak a look at him and his face has turned red. I giggle lightly. He runs a hand through his hair. I can see his eyes searching for understanding in mine.
"Ameen."
That's what you say after a prayer you want to come true. I reach his shoulder and give him a kiss.